Explaining the paradoxical nature of the world's largest and most diverse democracy, this new edition of Understanding Contemporary India has been thoroughly revised to reflect nearly a decade of change. The book includes entirely new chapters on history, international relations, caste, and the role of women, as well as extensively updated material on politics, the economy, environmental issues, religion, and the arts. The result is an indispensable introduction, both descriptive and analytical, to the complexities of contemporary India.